Jackass 3D Sweeps the Box Office

I saw Jackass 3D today in Real D 3D and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the franchise has still found ways to deliver laughs without going straight to penises or poo. Don't get me wrong, this film has both, but doesn't rely on the topics as much as the first installment. What I can only think of as the last installment, the film was not only a nice send-off for the franchise in terms of stunts and laughs, but it also made a pretty penny too this weekend.

Box Office Winner: Jackass 3D

Jackass 3D not only made money, it broke records. The estimated reports claim that this third installment posted a record-setting $50 million at 3,081 locations, of which 3,542 were 3D. Going into the weekend, Paramount put expectations on the film somewhere near the mid-20s, though they now credit some of the film's added box office success with immediate strong word of mouth.

"One of the things that's almost impossible to identify with tracking is heat behind a movie," Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore said. "This is a movie that certainly delivered, in terms of using 3D, to really enhance the comedic experience," Moore said. "With a brand that is so much about the physicality of these guys, the promise of what that would then yield in 3D was something that captured people's imaginations."

Prior to Jackass 3D, the franchises best outing occurred back in 2006, when Jackass Number Two opened to $29 million; further proof that this third installment has already gone beyond its typical fanbase.

Paramount may be surprised about how many moviegoers turned out for Jackass 3D's opening bow, but I'll also put a little emphasis on the fact that audiences have been desperate to "get away," especially with heated November elections coming our way. The docu delivers laughs that require absolutely no thinking.